color coding staff

[reecie54]

My hospital is presenting the idea of color coding all staff (except management). Our union is currently in negotiation (as this is a change in working conditions they failed to bring up during our last negotiation). I'm looking for any documented evidence that this is working or not working in other facilities. I will also welcome any personal anecdotes or experiences that reinforce that this idea does (or does not) work. Also, pediatric nurses with dress codes, when do you don't wear cute child appropriate scrubs have you noticed a change or difference interacting with children?

[SapphireJulzRN]

I think its another way to control staff,especially when they pick the styles and brands. I believe that there should be general guidelines but I resent the fact that I can't pick out what makes me comfortable. When I am comfortable I can wok better,am not hot, can bend and move with ease because I choose scrubs that meet my needs and body type! I find the patients can easily identify the nurses,they are the ones that are in the rooms constantly and bring in the narcotics.

I totally agree! Our hospital chose the brand (Landau) and we had 3 styles to chose from. But we can ONLY order from a certain online company, which really sucks for the local uniform shops.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I'm really a big fan of the color coded system. We wear royal blue as nurses. I hope royal blue one day becomes the symbol for nursing that starched white used to be. You can't deny that it's much easier for patients.

Actually, it doesn't seem to make any difference to the patients. Most of them call everyone "nurse" anyway . . .

[RedInScrubs, ASN, RN]

Staff should KNOW who is who. Unless you're floating to a new unit every day, you ought to know your colleagues and know which one is the one to call for a spill and which one is the one to call for a pressor order.

Being in float pool, I can tell you it's a GODSEND in a code knowing who can do what even when I don't know faces and names. Or if I need to ask a question, have an issue, whatever. Seriously helpful.

[RedInScrubs, ASN, RN]

And I don't see why staff would NEED the "benefit" of having color coded colleagues. When you work with folks, you should KNOW what their job is.

Unless you float to a different unit every day and work varied shifts. Then people all looking totally different is a royal pain in the butt.

[FurBabyMom, MSN, RN]

I've worked in three hospitals with a color coded staff policy. My current facility is a color-coded facility but it doesn't affect me. I work in the OR which, like our other procedure areas (L&D OR, VIR, cath lab, bronch lab, GI) - all wear hospital issued and laundered scrubs in the same color regardless of job class or title. I dress the same as surgeons, anesthesiologists, residents, CRNAs, scrub techs, monitoring techs, equipment techs, anesthesia techs and even vendors who have checked in with the OR front desk to get scrubs for the day. I know who my coworkers are 95% of the time. I will say - if we go to an education day/class or something like that (example: if held away from our main campus) - we have to wear either the correct scrubs by job color, or business casual. We aren't supposed to wear hospital issued scrubs outside the hospital (people do, but that's not up for debate). If you have a meeting or class during your work hours on main campus, you can wear hospital issued scrubs.

In one facility, I was an assistant/tech. Nobody really seemed to know what meant what except staff. I was new to the hospital and it was helpful to me as I was in the nursing float pool and assigned to potentially every unit within a approximately 1000 bed facility. I could easily discern my resources. :)

My first job as a nurse we wore whatever we wanted, which was nice. But it also wasn't. There are plenty of "nice" printed scrub top options but it really did look hodge-podge. I found I felt that way primarily because many people wore things that were just faded or didn't look presentable (wearing out, etc).

My second job as a nurse we wore color coded uniforms. My patient's didn't notice it really, but again, as staff, it was nice. Our unit was short staffed, and I oriented strictly on days and then had to switch to nights in staffing on my own - it made my transition easier to be able to know by color what type of staff someone was. We frequently had nurses and techs floating to our unit (critical staffing bonus offered we were so short) and I would imagine it helped them too.

[emmy27]

And I don't see why staff would NEED the "benefit" of having color coded colleagues. When you work with folks, you should KNOW what their job is.

My department has hundreds of people who work there at least occasionally, and takes on new staff, travelers, and students all the time. And that's just in our department- when we float to other floors or have to transport patients, it's not reasonable to expect that everyone in a hospital employeeing thousands will know all their fellow employees on sight.

Of course everyone should attempt to learn who all their colleagues are, but in some facilities, that's easier said than done, and everybody is new at some point. It's also *really* nice when you're floating to not have to try to sneak a peek at the title on everyone's nametags or flat-out ask who they are, especially when things are hectic.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

Apparently my hospital used to be color coded. Management does routine rounds on patients, and they found that the patients didn't care what staff wore. We aren't color coded anymore.

Each department sets their own dress code. In my unit, we have 4 colors we can wear for pants and any top that coordinates. The only department that is identifiable by dress code is housekeeping, L&D, and OR.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Unless you float to a different unit every day and work varied shifts. Then people all looking totally different is a royal pain in the butt.

By all means, we should force everyone to wear color coded scrubs in colors that are unflattering and styles that fit poorly and are uncomfortable so that the few nurses who float will know who to ask which questions.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

My first job as a nurse we wore whatever we wanted, which was nice. But it also wasn't. There are plenty of "nice" printed scrub top options but it really did look hodge-podge. I found I felt that way primarily because many people wore things that were just faded or didn't look presentable (wearing out, etc).

My second job as a nurse we wore color coded uniforms. My patient's didn't notice it really, but again, as staff, it was nice. Our unit was short staffed, and I oriented strictly on days and then had to switch to nights in staffing on my own - it made my transition easier to be able to know by color what type of staff someone was. We frequently had nurses and techs floating to our unit (critical staffing bonus offered we were so short) and I would imagine it helped them too.

Management at my hospital convinced themselves that if they mandated scrub colors, styles, manufacturer and vendor, no one would ever wear old, faded or unpresentable scrubs again. So they forced us all into wearing thin, itchy scrubs that bunch in odd places, pull in others and aren't flattering or comfortable for almost anyone. Because they're poor quality they fade quickly, get pulled out into odd shapes and bunch and wrinkle. They're presentable until you've washed them three times. Because they're more expensive than other (better quality) scrubs and because the vendor's website is difficult to navigate, user unfriendly and doesn't play with Macs at all, people put off ordering new scrubs until they can't put it off any longer. And so there are people walking around in bunched, wrinkled, faded and shrunken scrubs that look outright horrible. Those same people always looked professionally put together when they were allowed to purchase the scrubs in the color and style of their choice from the vendor they chose.

Forcing us all into these scrubs for the benefit of new staff (who should be getting to know their colleagues) or floats (who ought to be able to read the gigantic "RN," "RT" or "MD" on our name tags) seems short sighted and somewhat mean. But it is a good way for management to prove that they have their collective feet on our collective necks.

[BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN]

I totally agree! Our hospital chose the brand (Landau) and we had 3 styles to chose from. But we can ONLY order from a certain online company, which really sucks for the local uniform shops.

I can't help but wonder if we work for the same health system because you just described my set up. And the scrubs are thin, uncomfortable, with NO stretch. Blech.

The only thing I do like is that I never have a question of what position someone new holds. When new people start and you're getting to know them, it's kind of nice to have that visual reminder as to their job. That's just me though. Oh and we do have reminders for the patients as to what the color coded scrubs represent so we don't expect them just to remember in their own. I think that is somewhat helpful.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

I'm really a big fan of the color coded system. We wear royal blue as nurses. I hope royal blue one day becomes the symbol for nursing that starched white used to be. You can't deny that it's much easier for patients.

Why yes, yes I can deny it.

[RedInScrubs, ASN, RN]

By all means, we should force everyone to wear color coded scrubs in colors that are unflattering and styles that fit poorly and are uncomfortable so that the few nurses who float will know who to ask which questions.

Good lord, does it REALLY kill to wear something you don't like? What are we, five and protesting being denied glittery cowboy boots versus black ones? They serve the dame function.